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Tennis Balls Guide

How to choose the right tennis balls? In-depth Buying Guide

Table of Contents

If you don’t know how to choose the right tennis balls or want to buy the best tennis balls for your needs, you’ve come to the right place. It should be evident to you how crucial it is to use the proper tennis balls when you consider that you hit hundreds or even thousands of balls during practice. If you play with the wrong balls, you’ll develop habits that will be tough to break later on, so it’s best to start right with tennis balls guide. 

If selecting the appropriate tennis balls appears to be a daunting undertaking, you’ll find the solutions you need below. We’ve broken down the tennis balls guide including most important factors to consider when purchasing them, as well as what you should look for based on your level, age, and court surface. So let’s get started to learn how to choose a tennis ball.

Tennis Balls Guide: Basic Quality of Tennis Ball

Basic Quality of Tennis Ball

Top manufacturers create three basic quality levels of tennis balls: championship, professional, and recreational. Beginner tennis balls are considered recreational and are designed to be used as practice balls in a ball machine or hopper when fine-tuning your swing. Since many tennis leagues forbid using recreational tennis balls for matches, you should only use them for practice. 

Championship level balls are a step up and can be utilized in league matches since they have a considerably higher bounce and feel for intermediate players.

Professional level tennis balls are the best kind, and every manufacturer uses the best materials to produce them. Professional level tennis balls integrate more technology than recreational and championship level balls to enable for longer playability. These are frequently used on the ATP/WTA pro tour, so you can expect both performance and durability from them for more advanced players.

Types of Tennis Balls

There are numerous tennis balls used for various purposes. Tennis balls are, however, classified into two types: pressurized and non-pressurized balls. Let’s learn more about them this helps you to choose types of tennis balls.

Pressurized and Non-pressurised Balls

Pressurized and Non-pressurised Balls

When choosing tennis balls, it’s also critical to recognize the difference between pressurized and pressureless tennis balls.

Pressureless balls are commonly utilized for beginner, practice, and recreational play. They get their bounce from the rubber shell construction, not from air on the inside. As a result, pressureless balls do not lose bounce like regular balls; rather, they acquire bounce over time as the outer felt fades. Many players appreciate the durability of pressureless tennis balls, but others find them heavier and more difficult to play.

Pressurized balls are the tournament tennis balls used by professionals and are far more common. They use internal air pressure, which initially provides more bounce, speed, and spin but quickly fades.  According to one study, most pressurized tour tennis balls have a lifespan of no more than two weeks, and many are used for just one match.

Official Tennis Balls

Official Tennis Balls

When looking for new tennis balls, the sort of court you play on will most likely influence the type of ball you should use. Official balls are quick, highly bouncing balls ideal for training and competitive play. They can also be categorized into three categories:

Slow balls (Extra Duty)

Medium-speed balls (All Court)

Fast-balls (Regular Duty)

Slow Tennis Balls (Extra Duty)

If you like to play on outdoor hard courts or grass, extra duty felt will withstand more demanding conditions. Extra duty balls have a significantly thicker felt, hence the ‘extra’, andIf you use a regular duty ball on an outdoor hard court, it will wear down rapidly and feel flat. are woven looser than ordinary duty balls because the felt needs to wear down less quickly.

Examples of Extra Duty Tennis Balls

  • Wilson US Open Extra Duty
  • Dunlop Extra Duty Balls

Medium Speed Balls (All Court)

All Court balls are suitable for all court surfaces. However, in Europe, velour (carpet) courts and Plexipave courts are the primary surfaces on which All Court balls are utilized.

All Court balls feature a little thicker felt coating, making them play slower yet faster than Extra Duty balls. These balls are ideal for novices who wish to add a bit more speed to their game.

Examples of All Court Tennis Balls

  • Wilson Tour All Court
  • Babolat Team All Court
  • RS All Court
  • Dunlop Australian Open

Fast-balls (Regular Duty)

If you play on clay or indoor courts, you’ll need regular-duty tennis balls. Regular duty tennis balls contain thinner felt, which reduces the amount of clay absorbed upon impact and prevents the balls from becoming heavy due to moisture retention in the clay. The ball’s felt is knitted tighter around its core, preventing the ball from inflating up and increasing its life. If you use an extra-duty ball on a clay court, the clay’s moisture will infiltrate the felt and wear it down much faster. 

Examples of Regular Duty Tennis Balls

  • Wilson US Open Regular Duty
  • Wilson Championship Regular Duty
  • Dunlop ATP Regular Duty

Training Balls (“Dotted Balls”)

Training balls are soft and slow balls specifically developed for novices. They can be either pressure-free or low-pressure balls. Because of this, they are easier to hit and do not bounce as high as hard balls.

Red Tennis Balls

Red Tennis Balls

Red balls are the softest training balls and move 75% slower than hard balls. They are made to provide young players with as many opportunities for success as they can, which will boost their self-esteem while they play tennis.

Red balls are ideal for players under the age of eight since they can bounce up to a height of around a meter.

Red balls are typically played on a truncated mini tennis court, such as a 1/4 court with a little tennis net, because to their softness.

Examples of Red Tennis Balls:

  • Wilson Started Red
  • Babolat Red Felt

Orange Tennis Balls

Orange Tennis Balls

The red balls lead to the orange balls, which come next. They bounce to a height of around 105–120 cm and are 50% slower than hard balls. The goal of orange balls is to teach players how to react to faster shots and move more efficiently on the court.

Orange balls can be used with a big net and a midi tennis court, which has a shorter backcourt. Orange tennis balls are appropriate for players aged 8 to 12.

Examples of Orange Tennis Balls:

  • Wilson Starter Orange
  • Babolat Orange

Green Tennis Balls

Green Tennis Balls

The last stage before going on to official balls are green balls. They are 25% slower than hard balls and can bounce up to 120-135 cm.

Green tennis balls are intended to educate players how to maneuver across a full court. Green balls are ideal for players aged 10 and up.

Examples of Green Tennis Balls:

  • Wilson Starter Green
  • Wilson Starter Play
  • Babolat Green

Considerations When Choosing Tennis Balls

What are tennis players looking for when choosing balls? As previously said, not all tennis balls are the same, and there are several aspects to consider when purchasing. Everything from the pressure, felt, and ball type must be carefully considered to guarantee that the balls function optimally for the surface on which they are used as well as the performance of the players and coaches.

Type of Ball

Consumers might frequently feel overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the correct tennis balls for them, which is due in large part to the variety of balls available. Regular duty balls, for example, are produced with softer felt, making them ideal for playing on softer surfaces like clay or grass. In contrast, Extra Duty balls are made with a stronger felt cover to withstand more wear and tear when used on hard courts. They are developed with durability in mind.

Advances in tennis ball manufacture have even enabled firms to create high altitude balls, which, as the name implies, are designed to be utilized in lower air density conditions without sacrificing the ball’s bounce and feel when struck.

Playing Conditions

Depending on where the tennis is played, shoppers may want to consider the playing conditions. Tennis balls are known to absorb moisture, therefore humid locations demand lighter balls, whilst drier conditions require heavier balls.

Players playing tennis balls at high altitudes should choose pressureless balls that aren’t too rapid to hit. Finally, one of the most crucial factors to consider is surface type. Harder conditions necessitate a more durable tennis ball, whereas softer surfaces require balls with a thinner felt covering so that they do not wear out as soon.

Who Uses Tennis Balls?

For every player and coach, having the appropriate tennis clothing and equipment is essential. A child doesn’t always need what an adult might find useful to advance their game. Younger players will gain advantages from training tennis balls, which often have very little bounce and are easier to strike. Even foam tennis balls that are perfect for young children or beginners under the age of eight are now available on the market.

Adults have a couple additional tennis ball options as well. Consumers who do not play on a regular basis frequently purchase hard court tennis balls since they have a longer lifespan and will not wear down from hitting errors or playing on public tennis courts, which can have uneven surfaces. Serious players and professionals need adjust to the court’s circumstances for best outcomes, so the sort of tennis ball they use will depend on the court.

Final Words

This guide to tennis balls guide and how to choose the right tennis balls on the market today has covered many important factors to consider before making a purchase. Every factor has been taken into account, including the playing surface, the kind of ball needed, who will use the tennis balls, and whether pressurized or pressureless tennis balls are appropriate.

Nowadays, tennis balls come in a wide variety of varieties for coaches and players to use, such as foam balls, red, orange, and green balls for junior training and the transition to regular tennis balls, pressurized balls for professional and recreational use, and pressureless balls, which are primarily used for training or clay courts because they have a different bounce than regular tennis balls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can adult players play with colorful training balls?

Yes, it is feasible—in fact, it is advised—for novices to begin using orange and green balls before switching to official balls.

When should you change to new balls?

This is very dependent on both the balls and the player. If you play once a week, official balls will last approximately 2-4 weeks.

For more active players, it is recommended that they change balls every 2-3 weeks, as worn balls bounce considerably less well and disrupt the rhythm of the game.
Colorful training balls can be used for approximately 1-2 months.

What does the number on the tennis ball mean?

A number—1, 2, 3, or 4—may be printed on certain tennis balls. The number is printed to make it simpler to distinguish between the balls; it has nothing to do with how the ball plays. For example, if the ball escapes into a nearby court during a game of ball.

How should tennis balls be stored to make them last as long as possible?

To maintain a healthy level of internal pressure, tennis balls should be stored at room temperature and away from direct sunlight for as long as possible. Tennis balls will lose pressure if they get too cold, so it’s best to avoid keeping them in a cold car throughout the winter.

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